MELBOURNE, Australia — India’s captain Rohit Sharma expressed frustration over the team consistently facing unfavorable outcomes from video reviews, particularly regarding the pivotal dismissal of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal during their recent Test match.
Jaiswal was batting impressively at 84 runs when India found themselves in a precarious position at 140-6 in the second innings of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. With a draw seeming possible, Australia made an appeal for a caught-behind off Pat Cummins’ bowling, a claim that the on-field umpire, Joel Wilson, initially dismissed.
The Australian team utilized the video review system, which showed that the Ultra-edge technology did not indicate a touch from either bat or glove as the ball sailed by. Nevertheless, replays suggested that there might have been contact with the bat, glove, or potentially both. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, the third umpire ruled that there was sufficient ground to overturn the on-field decision.
Sharma voiced his bewilderment regarding the situation, stating, “Honestly, I’m not quite sure what to make of it since the technology didn’t provide any clarity.” He further emphasized, “It feels like we’ve been a bit unfortunate. I’m uncertain about how umpires choose to interpret the technology.”
The captain continued, noting the limitations of the technology, acknowledging, “We know that it’s not foolproof. While we don’t want to dwell too much on this issue, it is frustrating that we frequently find ourselves on the unfavorable side of such decisions.”
Despite his frustrations, Sharma was candid about Jaiswal’s dismissal, admitting, “In all fairness, I believe he did make contact with the ball. To the naked eye, it appeared he touched something.”
This pivotal moment greatly influenced the course of the match, contributing to a significant collapse by India, which witnessed them losing 7 wickets for just 34 runs during the concluding session. Ultimately, Australia triumphed with a commanding 184-run victory, wrapping up the match in the 80th over, while there were still 12 overs planned for the closing hour.
